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Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World
The first-ever deeply reported look inside the surprising history and contentious future of Hollywood’s most unlikely blockbuster – the Fast & Furious franchise – a series that uncannily anticipated the shifting currents of pop culture while changing the business of global entertainment at the same time.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now. Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now. Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
- GenresNonfiction
448 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2025
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December 16, 2025
This review was originally published on my website.
Humphrey Bogart. Marlon Brando. Sidney Poitier. James Cagney. Vin Fucking Diesel.
These are just a few of the most celebrated and legendary film actors of all time according to the American Film Institute and in at least one case, most likely, one actor’s own opinion of himself given his own past comparisons to Federico Fellini.
It’s the kind of over-the-top comparison that, when viewed through the lens of The Fast and The Furious film franchise might even be adroit, given the sheer verve and outlandishness those movies are known for. At least until one considers the behind the scenes drama and hubris Diesel brought to the F&F film sets… once he finally showed up on those sets after making the cast and crew wait hours for him to come out of his luxurious trailer demanding rewrites.
As told by Barry Hertz, the lead film writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail, the on-set drama and studio intrigues were just as dramatic and supercharged as anything that made its way into cinemas across ten movies, a spin-off, and an eleventh film still pending to serve as a grand finale to it all, with possibly a second spin-off — if not more! — depending on who’s talking or tweeting and what day it is.
With over two decades in journalism under his belt, Hertz has reviewed thousands of movies and has covered the film world from every angle imaginable. He not only has the bona fides to explore one of Hollywood’s biggest and longest-running franchises, he’s also an unapologetic fan of the Fast and Furious series. His love for these movies shines throughout Welcome to the Family’s page count, but his behind-the-scenes reportage is blessedly far from a hagiography. Hertz maintains a critical eye, noting where these movies slipped a gear in equal measure to all of their many successes.
And make no mistake, The Fast and the Furious series has indeed been successful for Universal Studios and its lead stars. Beginning in 2001, with the introduction of thief and outlaw racer Dominic Toretto and the undercover cop, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner, The Fast and the Furious was based on a 1998 Vibe Magazine article by Kevin Li about New York City’s underground street racing scene. The movie itself was a Point Break riff revolving around a truckload of stolen DVD players and a $38 million budget. By today’s standards, and the evolution this series would undergo across it’s many sequels, The Fast and The Furious is damn near a quaint and quiet indie crime flick. It was never meant to be a hit, let alone a monstrous global sensation, with Universal seeking only to fill a hole in its summer release schedule with a modestly funded effort. Audiences responded, thanks in large part to the diversity of the cast, with minorities finding and welcoming the on-screen representation, which would only increase in subsequent sequels.
The Fast and The Furious was the kind of flick that, if made today, right-wingers would decry it for being woke thanks to the multicultural found family at the heart of it all. There’s Toretto himself who, thanks to Diesel’s ambiguous ethnicity and increasingly mixed Toretto bloodline, can virtually pass as whatever he wants to be wherever the script demands. He fits in the working-class streets of Los Angeles as easily as in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Italy, blending in with hardly anyone noticing or caring, especially during high-octane drag races. He’s surrounded by a clan of killers, racers, thieves, and cops who have all become family to him, like his bad-ass Latina wife, Letty, as played by Michelle Rodriguez; the blond-haired, blue-eyed white surfer boy ideal of Walker’s Brian; Korean Han Lue; Black Roman Pearce and Tej Parker; and the British assassin Deckard Shaw. From it’s very inception, F&F was diverse before diversity was a concern, let alone a buzzword in Hollywood casting departments and the bane of a fascist US president. That sense of far-ranging family extends beyond the films, too, with the behind-the-scenes players working so closely together over so many years that they’ve become almost like a family unto themselves, particularly director Justin Lin and his talented crew.
Each sequel only helped to bring more diversity to the silver screen as the cast grew and the stories themselves hopped all across the globe, transforming this franchise into an epic, worldly affair that helped lay the groundwork for what is now a Hollywood staple that damn near every film franchise seeks to replicate: the cinematic universe. F&F was the MCU before the MCU became a household “everything is connected” experience. As the stakes grew and the danger increased, and the stunts got wilder, the Fast universe grew as connected as it was diverse, developing a needlessly complex, labyrinthine mythology that would eventually bend time and resurrect fallen heroes as these street racers evolved into world-saving dynamos and espionage artists that would go to the moon and back.
As Hertz writes, it wasn’t just on-screen that tensions grew as these larger-than-life heroes transformed into giants. Paul Walker’s death in a motor vehicle accident in 2013, during the Thanksgiving break from filming Furious 7, was a tragedy that nearly took the franchise with him and gave rise actors’ concerns about having their likenesses replicated by CGI well before deceased actors were brought back from the grave for Star Wars: Rogue One and Alien: Romulus. Then there was the off-screen feuding between Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who joined the Fast family for a time beginning with Fast Five, as a brawny DSS agent gunning for Toretto, which would escalate into a war of words that was almost as exciting as their on-screen rivalry. Diesel, who hadn’t seen much success outside of the Fast franchise despite efforts to make xXx a thing and a famous misstep in the family action comedy The Pacifier, comes off the worst in Hertz’s reporting, with various sources, both named and anonymous, citing instances of unprofessionalism and unchecked ego that would become the thorn in the side of Universal executives, producers, and directors. Yet, for all the baggage Diesel brought to these film’s developments, it clearly came from a place of love and a desire to see these movies succeed and evolve, even if some — like teasing potential reappearances of Walker’s Brian, who has been kept alive in the films despite the actor’s passing — are supremely questionable.
Egos and muscles weren’t the only thing inflating on the sets of these flicks, either, with each movie’s budget growing larger and larger. The box office receipts made it a worthwhile investment — until it didn’t, and the low returns on Fast X, the first in an announced two-part finale, has put the fate of Furious into serious question while the end (Fast 11? Fast X: Part Two?) lingers in development hell.
Love ‘em or leave ‘em, one thing that is very clear throughout Hertz’s writing is the amount of passion that went into making each one of these films. Plenty of time is spent writing about not just the explosive set pieces, which continually up the ante not only from one movie to the next but from one scene to the next, but the stunt workers who brought them to life, along with the directors, producers, and CGI artists who helped refine and bring each moment to the next level, pushing the limits of filmmaking technology and even creating new tools and methods along the way to get things just right. Given the amount of cars, pyrotechnics, choreography, and forethought — not to mention how to film as much of it practically as possible — this was no mean feat, particularly given the lack of specificity in these movie’s scripts, which detail these high octane rushes as little more than “the biggest, most amazing action scene you’ve ever see!!!!!” A lot of heart and soul went into making these movies, and all the questionable amount of money that was spent producing them appears on-screen.
I went into Welcome to the Family as a fellow traveler with Hertz. Like the author, I was a fan of these flicks, too, viewing them as little more than big, dumb, highly memeable, blue-collar Bond flicks with macho men, beautiful women, outrageous stunts, and increasingly silly scenarios that threatened to jump the shark, or at least try to outrace it with an injection of NOS. Welcome to the Family gave me a deeper appreciation for these movies, though, thanks to Hertz’s exploration of the various minds behind it all and their motivations and desires to make some of the biggest spectacles committed to film. It may not seem like it at first blush, but there’s actually a hell of a lot of brains, talent, and calculations (even beyond the financial kind) that goes into making these movies. One might not think of The Fast and The Furious film franchise as smart art, but they certainly are smartly made, and with a hell of a lot of heart, too.
Humphrey Bogart. Marlon Brando. Sidney Poitier. James Cagney. Vin Fucking Diesel.
These are just a few of the most celebrated and legendary film actors of all time according to the American Film Institute and in at least one case, most likely, one actor’s own opinion of himself given his own past comparisons to Federico Fellini.
It’s the kind of over-the-top comparison that, when viewed through the lens of The Fast and The Furious film franchise might even be adroit, given the sheer verve and outlandishness those movies are known for. At least until one considers the behind the scenes drama and hubris Diesel brought to the F&F film sets… once he finally showed up on those sets after making the cast and crew wait hours for him to come out of his luxurious trailer demanding rewrites.
As told by Barry Hertz, the lead film writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail, the on-set drama and studio intrigues were just as dramatic and supercharged as anything that made its way into cinemas across ten movies, a spin-off, and an eleventh film still pending to serve as a grand finale to it all, with possibly a second spin-off — if not more! — depending on who’s talking or tweeting and what day it is.
With over two decades in journalism under his belt, Hertz has reviewed thousands of movies and has covered the film world from every angle imaginable. He not only has the bona fides to explore one of Hollywood’s biggest and longest-running franchises, he’s also an unapologetic fan of the Fast and Furious series. His love for these movies shines throughout Welcome to the Family’s page count, but his behind-the-scenes reportage is blessedly far from a hagiography. Hertz maintains a critical eye, noting where these movies slipped a gear in equal measure to all of their many successes.
And make no mistake, The Fast and the Furious series has indeed been successful for Universal Studios and its lead stars. Beginning in 2001, with the introduction of thief and outlaw racer Dominic Toretto and the undercover cop, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner, The Fast and the Furious was based on a 1998 Vibe Magazine article by Kevin Li about New York City’s underground street racing scene. The movie itself was a Point Break riff revolving around a truckload of stolen DVD players and a $38 million budget. By today’s standards, and the evolution this series would undergo across it’s many sequels, The Fast and The Furious is damn near a quaint and quiet indie crime flick. It was never meant to be a hit, let alone a monstrous global sensation, with Universal seeking only to fill a hole in its summer release schedule with a modestly funded effort. Audiences responded, thanks in large part to the diversity of the cast, with minorities finding and welcoming the on-screen representation, which would only increase in subsequent sequels.
The Fast and The Furious was the kind of flick that, if made today, right-wingers would decry it for being woke thanks to the multicultural found family at the heart of it all. There’s Toretto himself who, thanks to Diesel’s ambiguous ethnicity and increasingly mixed Toretto bloodline, can virtually pass as whatever he wants to be wherever the script demands. He fits in the working-class streets of Los Angeles as easily as in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Italy, blending in with hardly anyone noticing or caring, especially during high-octane drag races. He’s surrounded by a clan of killers, racers, thieves, and cops who have all become family to him, like his bad-ass Latina wife, Letty, as played by Michelle Rodriguez; the blond-haired, blue-eyed white surfer boy ideal of Walker’s Brian; Korean Han Lue; Black Roman Pearce and Tej Parker; and the British assassin Deckard Shaw. From it’s very inception, F&F was diverse before diversity was a concern, let alone a buzzword in Hollywood casting departments and the bane of a fascist US president. That sense of far-ranging family extends beyond the films, too, with the behind-the-scenes players working so closely together over so many years that they’ve become almost like a family unto themselves, particularly director Justin Lin and his talented crew.
Each sequel only helped to bring more diversity to the silver screen as the cast grew and the stories themselves hopped all across the globe, transforming this franchise into an epic, worldly affair that helped lay the groundwork for what is now a Hollywood staple that damn near every film franchise seeks to replicate: the cinematic universe. F&F was the MCU before the MCU became a household “everything is connected” experience. As the stakes grew and the danger increased, and the stunts got wilder, the Fast universe grew as connected as it was diverse, developing a needlessly complex, labyrinthine mythology that would eventually bend time and resurrect fallen heroes as these street racers evolved into world-saving dynamos and espionage artists that would go to the moon and back.
As Hertz writes, it wasn’t just on-screen that tensions grew as these larger-than-life heroes transformed into giants. Paul Walker’s death in a motor vehicle accident in 2013, during the Thanksgiving break from filming Furious 7, was a tragedy that nearly took the franchise with him and gave rise actors’ concerns about having their likenesses replicated by CGI well before deceased actors were brought back from the grave for Star Wars: Rogue One and Alien: Romulus. Then there was the off-screen feuding between Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who joined the Fast family for a time beginning with Fast Five, as a brawny DSS agent gunning for Toretto, which would escalate into a war of words that was almost as exciting as their on-screen rivalry. Diesel, who hadn’t seen much success outside of the Fast franchise despite efforts to make xXx a thing and a famous misstep in the family action comedy The Pacifier, comes off the worst in Hertz’s reporting, with various sources, both named and anonymous, citing instances of unprofessionalism and unchecked ego that would become the thorn in the side of Universal executives, producers, and directors. Yet, for all the baggage Diesel brought to these film’s developments, it clearly came from a place of love and a desire to see these movies succeed and evolve, even if some — like teasing potential reappearances of Walker’s Brian, who has been kept alive in the films despite the actor’s passing — are supremely questionable.
Egos and muscles weren’t the only thing inflating on the sets of these flicks, either, with each movie’s budget growing larger and larger. The box office receipts made it a worthwhile investment — until it didn’t, and the low returns on Fast X, the first in an announced two-part finale, has put the fate of Furious into serious question while the end (Fast 11? Fast X: Part Two?) lingers in development hell.
Love ‘em or leave ‘em, one thing that is very clear throughout Hertz’s writing is the amount of passion that went into making each one of these films. Plenty of time is spent writing about not just the explosive set pieces, which continually up the ante not only from one movie to the next but from one scene to the next, but the stunt workers who brought them to life, along with the directors, producers, and CGI artists who helped refine and bring each moment to the next level, pushing the limits of filmmaking technology and even creating new tools and methods along the way to get things just right. Given the amount of cars, pyrotechnics, choreography, and forethought — not to mention how to film as much of it practically as possible — this was no mean feat, particularly given the lack of specificity in these movie’s scripts, which detail these high octane rushes as little more than “the biggest, most amazing action scene you’ve ever see!!!!!” A lot of heart and soul went into making these movies, and all the questionable amount of money that was spent producing them appears on-screen.
I went into Welcome to the Family as a fellow traveler with Hertz. Like the author, I was a fan of these flicks, too, viewing them as little more than big, dumb, highly memeable, blue-collar Bond flicks with macho men, beautiful women, outrageous stunts, and increasingly silly scenarios that threatened to jump the shark, or at least try to outrace it with an injection of NOS. Welcome to the Family gave me a deeper appreciation for these movies, though, thanks to Hertz’s exploration of the various minds behind it all and their motivations and desires to make some of the biggest spectacles committed to film. It may not seem like it at first blush, but there’s actually a hell of a lot of brains, talent, and calculations (even beyond the financial kind) that goes into making these movies. One might not think of The Fast and The Furious film franchise as smart art, but they certainly are smartly made, and with a hell of a lot of heart, too.
December 6, 2025
This was such an entertaining and informative read! We watched all the Fast & Furious movies during Covid and found the increasing absurdity delightful and funny. Fast Five was the first one we ever saw and remains the fave, so I especially loved hearing insights about how came to be. I didn’t know about the magazine story that inspired the first movie! He also makes some great points about how much multicultural representation these movies had before everyone expected diversity to be a priority.
All in all, this was fun and didn’t drag at all. I learned a ton! The author definitely comes across as a fanboy of both the franchise and Justin Lin, but that’s okay.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Would recommend this to anyone who’s seen the movies and is interested in learning more about how they came to be and what makes them unique and worth appreciating.
Now I need to rewatch the movies 👀 Or at least 1, 3, and 5.
All in all, this was fun and didn’t drag at all. I learned a ton! The author definitely comes across as a fanboy of both the franchise and Justin Lin, but that’s okay.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Would recommend this to anyone who’s seen the movies and is interested in learning more about how they came to be and what makes them unique and worth appreciating.
Now I need to rewatch the movies 👀 Or at least 1, 3, and 5.
December 2, 2025
Everyone has those movies that really stick with you over the years for many different reasons.
The Fast and the Furious
is one of those films for me. From seeing the film on opening day to watching the DVD in my garage with my buddies, this film has stayed with throughout my life. In
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World
, Barry Hertz dives deep into why these films have lasted so long and what makes them so special in the first place.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious universe: the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
I have seen many movies in the theaters over the years, but there are few I vividly remember attending the theater to watch. One of those few is The Fast and The Furious. It was the summer of my Freshman year at Bangor High School and nothing was going to stop me from sitting direct center to watch Vin Diesel and Paul Walker take to the streets in their modified cars.
Hertz brings to light some of the amazing behind-the-scenes moments from how the first film was made to how it grew to become Universal's biggest franchise ever and the eighth highest-grossing film series of all time, with a combined gross of over $7 billion. With hundreds of interviews, Hertz breaks down the creation of each film in the 11-film series including The Fast and The Furious, Hobbs & Shaw , and the latest installment Fast X .
What surprised me the most is how much of an impact these films have had on the industry over the years, especially how they have been the butt end of a joke here and there and they started as a simple street racing film. The cultural, cinematic, and visual effects were groundbreaking at times to an extent I never imagined. While not a single actor has been in all of the films, the cast they have built over the years is incredible, while still trying to keep the original group together. However, the diversity of race, gender, and age has been a catalyst to the films success in the box office for 25 years.
When I first decided to read Welcome to the Family , I was coming from a spot of the impact the film had on my high school years and how it would be fun to reminisce about those times. However, what I got out of this book was so much more. The Fast and the Furious Saga is so much bigger than its blockbuster numbers and the drama that can sometimes surround it, but its a series that has stood the test of time and found a way to capture audiences over many years. Hertz did his homework and it shows in this book.
Welcome to the Family by Barry Hertz is an incredible deep dive into the world of The Fast and the Furious. The author sheds light on behind-the-scenes development of these films, their cultural and cinematic impact on the world of film as well as how they have been able to create over 10 films that have grossed north of $7 billion. Hertz not only brought me back to my high school years, but reinvigorated my love for this franchise as a whole.
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World is available at bookstores everywhere from Grand Central Publishing. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is available via Libro.fm!
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious universe: the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
I have seen many movies in the theaters over the years, but there are few I vividly remember attending the theater to watch. One of those few is The Fast and The Furious. It was the summer of my Freshman year at Bangor High School and nothing was going to stop me from sitting direct center to watch Vin Diesel and Paul Walker take to the streets in their modified cars.
Hertz brings to light some of the amazing behind-the-scenes moments from how the first film was made to how it grew to become Universal's biggest franchise ever and the eighth highest-grossing film series of all time, with a combined gross of over $7 billion. With hundreds of interviews, Hertz breaks down the creation of each film in the 11-film series including The Fast and The Furious, Hobbs & Shaw , and the latest installment Fast X .
What surprised me the most is how much of an impact these films have had on the industry over the years, especially how they have been the butt end of a joke here and there and they started as a simple street racing film. The cultural, cinematic, and visual effects were groundbreaking at times to an extent I never imagined. While not a single actor has been in all of the films, the cast they have built over the years is incredible, while still trying to keep the original group together. However, the diversity of race, gender, and age has been a catalyst to the films success in the box office for 25 years.
When I first decided to read Welcome to the Family , I was coming from a spot of the impact the film had on my high school years and how it would be fun to reminisce about those times. However, what I got out of this book was so much more. The Fast and the Furious Saga is so much bigger than its blockbuster numbers and the drama that can sometimes surround it, but its a series that has stood the test of time and found a way to capture audiences over many years. Hertz did his homework and it shows in this book.
Welcome to the Family by Barry Hertz is an incredible deep dive into the world of The Fast and the Furious. The author sheds light on behind-the-scenes development of these films, their cultural and cinematic impact on the world of film as well as how they have been able to create over 10 films that have grossed north of $7 billion. Hertz not only brought me back to my high school years, but reinvigorated my love for this franchise as a whole.
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World is available at bookstores everywhere from Grand Central Publishing. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is available via Libro.fm!
November 1, 2025
AMAZING! Such an entertaining read that provides fascinating insight into the mega-budget movie industry. F&F fans will love this book, but so will anyone interested in Hollywood, cars, big stars, big egos, and the perennial tension between making art and making money. Highly recommend.
October 25, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book that looks at one of the speediest and infuriated movie series of the last twenty five years, one with a rich mythology, a more than healthy box office, and the cause of many disputes, lawsuits and cast changes.
True confession. I am not a fan of the The Fast and Furious franchise. I like cars, the original Gone in 60 Seconds is a comfort movie, Vanishing Point is beloved film, and I was a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazard, just like a stunt driver featured in this book. The movies never clicked with me. I saw the first in theaters, the second and third on video, the others on broadcast TV, and those just in snippets. I was aware of the storyline, it was hard being on-line and not knowing things, but they were not a film I paid attention to. However I am a big fan of books about Hollywood, which is why I thought I would read this. I am really glad I did, for this book offered me a different view of the movies, not a fan's look, but from the perspective of a person who loves movies, and really who can't love big stunts, and boffo action. And family. And the behind-the-scenes machinations that make big box office. Also I gained new respect for certain actors who deserved more, and lots of respect for a director who knew when to walk away. Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World by is written by Deputy Arts Editor of The Globe and Mail Barry Hertz, and is a NOS fueled ride into the making of a billion dollar franchise, every bump the series hit, every curve it nearly lost it on, and every quarter mile it has gone, so far.
The story begins with a reporter doing a small article on New York immigrants who spent time, money and love on a fixing up import cars and racing them in small illegal events in the City. This article caught an agent's eye, a deal was made with a studio to develope a cheap movie to play during the summer. The movie drew the attention of Rob Cohen, a journeyman director with an eye for talent and soon a script was being written. And rewritten, and rewritten. Casting was done with two actors who Hollywood always talked big about, but never could find a project for, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. A quick title change, and a payoff to B-Movie King Roger Corman, and The Fast and Furious was born. And a hit was made. The sequel lacked first Vin Diesel, the third Paul Walker. However a director Justin Lin, brought not only energy but ideas to the project. With the fourth blowing up. Soon the diverse cast kept growing, the dead returned, wrestlers and action stars, and Hollywood grande dames were added. Along with cool cars, incredible stunts and more. Hertz looks at all this, from studio disinterest in the first movie, to a film series that has kept Universal afloat, with Covid, mergers, and audience disinterest in movie theaters. Hertz follows the controversies, the Twitter bursts, the Rock, and even the leaving of the most critical part of the film's success, the director Justin Lin.
A really well done book, one that got past all the roadblocks that Universal put in front of Hertz, not wanting to share a story, that might be part of litigation. For an unofficial look, Hertz has lots of interviews, lots of profiles, and of course lots of tales from behind the camera. Hertz does a really good jo setting the scene and keeping the narrative straight, discussing the problems with scripts, sometimes just a few words about a spectacular race, or big fight, the problems with studios interfering. And the egos of cast members slowing rising as if balloons being filled with NOS before exploding in embarrassing ways. Hertz is a really good writer, and looks at everything equally, stunts, computer special effects, even marketing, with access that is really surprising and illuminating. Even as a person unfamiliar with much about the movies, I could not stop reading, and was interested right up to the end.
A book for fans without a doubt, but also a book for people who love to read stories about movies being made, even if the movies are being made for them. There are heroes, villains, and blah corporate types, exciting stories of flipping buses, for being pulled on a door in Iceland. Best of all there is really good writing. I was happy to find a new interest in these movies, maybe i won't say no if it pops up on my que. I am more excited to find a writer who loves movies as much as I do, and can writer about them in such a fun, exciting and informative way. I can't wait to read what Barry Hertz has planned next.
True confession. I am not a fan of the The Fast and Furious franchise. I like cars, the original Gone in 60 Seconds is a comfort movie, Vanishing Point is beloved film, and I was a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazard, just like a stunt driver featured in this book. The movies never clicked with me. I saw the first in theaters, the second and third on video, the others on broadcast TV, and those just in snippets. I was aware of the storyline, it was hard being on-line and not knowing things, but they were not a film I paid attention to. However I am a big fan of books about Hollywood, which is why I thought I would read this. I am really glad I did, for this book offered me a different view of the movies, not a fan's look, but from the perspective of a person who loves movies, and really who can't love big stunts, and boffo action. And family. And the behind-the-scenes machinations that make big box office. Also I gained new respect for certain actors who deserved more, and lots of respect for a director who knew when to walk away. Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World by is written by Deputy Arts Editor of The Globe and Mail Barry Hertz, and is a NOS fueled ride into the making of a billion dollar franchise, every bump the series hit, every curve it nearly lost it on, and every quarter mile it has gone, so far.
The story begins with a reporter doing a small article on New York immigrants who spent time, money and love on a fixing up import cars and racing them in small illegal events in the City. This article caught an agent's eye, a deal was made with a studio to develope a cheap movie to play during the summer. The movie drew the attention of Rob Cohen, a journeyman director with an eye for talent and soon a script was being written. And rewritten, and rewritten. Casting was done with two actors who Hollywood always talked big about, but never could find a project for, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. A quick title change, and a payoff to B-Movie King Roger Corman, and The Fast and Furious was born. And a hit was made. The sequel lacked first Vin Diesel, the third Paul Walker. However a director Justin Lin, brought not only energy but ideas to the project. With the fourth blowing up. Soon the diverse cast kept growing, the dead returned, wrestlers and action stars, and Hollywood grande dames were added. Along with cool cars, incredible stunts and more. Hertz looks at all this, from studio disinterest in the first movie, to a film series that has kept Universal afloat, with Covid, mergers, and audience disinterest in movie theaters. Hertz follows the controversies, the Twitter bursts, the Rock, and even the leaving of the most critical part of the film's success, the director Justin Lin.
A really well done book, one that got past all the roadblocks that Universal put in front of Hertz, not wanting to share a story, that might be part of litigation. For an unofficial look, Hertz has lots of interviews, lots of profiles, and of course lots of tales from behind the camera. Hertz does a really good jo setting the scene and keeping the narrative straight, discussing the problems with scripts, sometimes just a few words about a spectacular race, or big fight, the problems with studios interfering. And the egos of cast members slowing rising as if balloons being filled with NOS before exploding in embarrassing ways. Hertz is a really good writer, and looks at everything equally, stunts, computer special effects, even marketing, with access that is really surprising and illuminating. Even as a person unfamiliar with much about the movies, I could not stop reading, and was interested right up to the end.
A book for fans without a doubt, but also a book for people who love to read stories about movies being made, even if the movies are being made for them. There are heroes, villains, and blah corporate types, exciting stories of flipping buses, for being pulled on a door in Iceland. Best of all there is really good writing. I was happy to find a new interest in these movies, maybe i won't say no if it pops up on my que. I am more excited to find a writer who loves movies as much as I do, and can writer about them in such a fun, exciting and informative way. I can't wait to read what Barry Hertz has planned next.
November 17, 2025
I saw The Fast and the Furious on DVD, although I didn’t boost the DVD from anyone and my car at the time was a 10-speed bike. But I liked it okay. It was fun enough and kind of slid off my brain in the “little car movie for spring break way” that the producers thought it would be. And then I didn’t check back in with the series until Fast Five. I missed Miami and Tokyo and the family reunion of the confusingly titled 4th film Fast & Furious. But then came Fast Five: Hobbs, Hernan Reyes, the vault. The vault! After that, I was hooked. I’ve seen every subsequent F+F movie in theaters, caught up on the ones I missed, I’ve even seen the Fast & Furious parody musical. I guess what I’m saying is, these characters aren’t just my friends…
Welcome to the Family is a close look at the story of Fast & Furious — not the plot of the movies, but the story of how the films got made. Globe and Mail film critic Barry Hertz seemingly talked to (or dug up quotes from) everyone even remotely associated with the franchise from stunt performers, junior production assistant level folks, producers, writers, all the way up to the actors and directors themselves. And the story is just as big and brash and confusing and, in the end, a bit disappointing, as the movies. I’ll say this: Justin Lin comes off as the hero of the story and my respect for him is significantly higher seeing what he went through to get these movies made.
But the other, often unsung, heroes are the stunt performers who Hertz lavishes attention on. What makes an F+F movie special is that it looks real and that’s because it often is (or was until recently CGI started infecting everything). When the cars are falling from the sky: they really did that. Or, at least, they shot reference shots for that. One of the most famous sequences of the series is in the first movie and it involves a car slotting in underneath a semi truck. They did that! And Hertz gives gloriously juicy details about all of the ups and downs of the production of each film.
Perhaps too juicy, at times. The Fast & Furious franchise is well known for its big personalities and big egos and all of them get addressed in this book. It comes off as gossipy and bitchy, but usually in a fun way. But if there’s a score to be settled, sometimes tried to in this book. Hertz attempts to weave it all into a cohesive narrative for each film, but sometimes we just get an aside about who was causing the production to go over budget (and it often is Vin Diesel).
Because of all the rich detail into film production and the long arc of the Fast & Furious franchise (2001-????), this book is also pretty interesting for film production geeks. Even if you’re not into the franchise, there’s some much to learn from this story (seeing the depths it took to resurrect Paul Walker for Furious 7, a process that added as much as **$60 MILLION** to the budget, is astonishing). Highly recommended for both Fast+Furiousphiles and film nerds.
Welcome to the Family is a close look at the story of Fast & Furious — not the plot of the movies, but the story of how the films got made. Globe and Mail film critic Barry Hertz seemingly talked to (or dug up quotes from) everyone even remotely associated with the franchise from stunt performers, junior production assistant level folks, producers, writers, all the way up to the actors and directors themselves. And the story is just as big and brash and confusing and, in the end, a bit disappointing, as the movies. I’ll say this: Justin Lin comes off as the hero of the story and my respect for him is significantly higher seeing what he went through to get these movies made.
But the other, often unsung, heroes are the stunt performers who Hertz lavishes attention on. What makes an F+F movie special is that it looks real and that’s because it often is (or was until recently CGI started infecting everything). When the cars are falling from the sky: they really did that. Or, at least, they shot reference shots for that. One of the most famous sequences of the series is in the first movie and it involves a car slotting in underneath a semi truck. They did that! And Hertz gives gloriously juicy details about all of the ups and downs of the production of each film.
Perhaps too juicy, at times. The Fast & Furious franchise is well known for its big personalities and big egos and all of them get addressed in this book. It comes off as gossipy and bitchy, but usually in a fun way. But if there’s a score to be settled, sometimes tried to in this book. Hertz attempts to weave it all into a cohesive narrative for each film, but sometimes we just get an aside about who was causing the production to go over budget (and it often is Vin Diesel).
Because of all the rich detail into film production and the long arc of the Fast & Furious franchise (2001-????), this book is also pretty interesting for film production geeks. Even if you’re not into the franchise, there’s some much to learn from this story (seeing the depths it took to resurrect Paul Walker for Furious 7, a process that added as much as **$60 MILLION** to the budget, is astonishing). Highly recommended for both Fast+Furiousphiles and film nerds.
November 28, 2025
Like it or not, the Fast and Furious series of films have earned some analysis, based on history, longevity, and popularity. In that light, this is a worthy book, written with a regard for the films that you wouldn't see from a high-falutin' critic. At the same time, the author is far too forgiving of the increasingly absurd turns the films have taken since Fast Five, which is easily the best of the bunch. The overreliance on "family" to explain away twists that make no sense, and the overuse of CGI in action sequences are plainly obvious, and both need more criticism than can be found here. Also, the author is REALLY devoted to director Justin Lin, who comes across as a genius of Spielberg and Nolan proportions. This is an entertaining read, but you might not swallow all the bull being slung.
December 20, 2025
Very exhaustive... and exhausting, unless you're a superfan of a certain kind. I'm not that big of a fan, it turns out.
But definitely props to the author for giving a lot of respect to the people behind the scenes, doing the grunt work, like the stunt people and so on. Obviously at least partly because that's the people he was able to get access to, but hey.
But definitely props to the author for giving a lot of respect to the people behind the scenes, doing the grunt work, like the stunt people and so on. Obviously at least partly because that's the people he was able to get access to, but hey.
December 16, 2025
A must read for all fast and furious fans
December 19, 2025
Loved all the inside information, all in one place and in chronological order. If you’re a fan of the franchise, you’ll be a fan of this book too.
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